How to Hire for ‘Enterprise Intuition’, Not Just Experience
Resumes often fail to reveal what truly matters in enterprise settings. While years of experience, impressive job titles, and certifications hold value, they are not sufficient when tackling complex enterprise challenges like cloud adoption or large-scale digital transformation.
Successful enterprise hires possess a skill we call enterprise intuition: the ability to understand the subtle dynamics of large organizations. This includes grasping stakeholder networks, recognizing approval bottlenecks, addressing security concerns, navigating data governance debates, and balancing the real-world trade-offs necessary for delivery.
What is Enterprise Intuition?
Enterprise intuition is the capacity to make decisions grounded in a deep, often undocumented, understanding of enterprise dynamics. It allows individuals to anticipate institutional friction and adapt plans accordingly, rather than assuming straightforward progress.
“We just made the case and moved ahead.”
This response by a candidate who led product development at two Fortune 500 firms revealed a lack of enterprise intuition. Real enterprise challenges are rarely that simple, especially when working with functions like InfoSec during system migrations.
Why Enterprise Intuition Matters
- Predicts and plans for institutional resistance rather than ignoring it
- Prefers practical, achievable solutions over theoretically perfect but impractical ideas
- Understands the complex networks and approval processes within large organizations
Hiring Advice
When recruiting, look beyond formal experience and job titles. Assess candidates’ ability to navigate enterprise complexities and make decisions that reflect a nuanced understanding of organizational realities.
Author’s summary: Hiring for enterprise intuition ensures candidates grasp real organizational challenges and make practical, adaptable decisions beyond just formal experience.